Justin Riches

11/30/17

Period 6

Pre-AP English 9

Juliet Imagery
What does the response of a teenager’s love say about their feelings? Do they bring out

their inner emotions? Does it show what their true feelings of love? In Shakespeare's “Romeo

and Juliet,” Juliet’s use of imagery truly brings out her inner feelings toward Romeo. In Act 3,

Juliet is in her room awaiting Romeo to accompany her in her bedroom. While in the process,

Juliet illustrates her deep feelings toward him through use of figurative language and imagery.

Admitting her emotions toward Romeo, she later hears from her nurse that Tybalt (Juliet’s

cousin) had been killed by non other than Romeo himself. Being shocked by this news, Juliet

heart was almost immediately changed towards Romeo and explains her change in heart through

use of imagery and figurative language. Through Juliet’s use of imagery throughout Act 3, she

expresses her emotions towards Romeo before and after Tybalt’s death.

Before hearing about the tragedy of Tybalt’s death, Juliet uses imagery proving her deep

love for Romeo. For example, in line 17 of Act 3, Juliet reveals Romeo as “thou day in night” as

she waits for Romeo in the darkness of her room. Juliet uses the comparison of “night”

describing her feelings of darkness and absence when being away from Romeo. She refers to

Romeo as the “day in her “night” because with him, she feels alive and completed. Illustrating

Juliet’s love for Romeo, these remarks also prove how much she needs Romeo in order to be

happy and how much they are in love. In addition, Juliet once again illustrates her feelings of

love toward Romeo through use of imagery. Later in Act 3, Juliet lets her emotions get to her and
admits all of her feelings of love when waiting for Romeo in her bedroom. Juliet adds “...he will

make the heavens so fine(3.1.23).” This comparison of Romeo to “the heavens” reveals what a

perfect being Romeo is in Juliet’s eyes. Juliet’s use of imagery indicates her emotions of love

towards Romeo. Until the death of Tybalt, Juliet’s use of speech indicates her deep love for

Romeo.

After hearing about Tybalt’s death, Juliet’s use of imagery illustrates her feelings of

betrayal toward Romeo. This is the case after Juliet reveals all of her feelings of love toward

Romeo but is later told that Romeo was the one who killed her cousin Tybalt. Feeling betrayed

this, Juliet then refers to Romeo by saying “O serpent heart hid with a flowering face (3.1.74)!”

Feeling as if Romeo was a “flowering” person before the death of Tybalt, Juliet describes

through her use of imagery what she thinks Romeo truly is after murdering her cousin. When

describing Romeo with a “serpent heart,” Juliet reveals that Romeo is not the person she thought

he was before, but a murderer who killed her cousin and someone who doesn’t truly love her.

Also, Juliet reveals her true feelings toward Romeo once again when still pondering on the

devastating news of her cousin. Juliet later adds “Just opposite to what thou justly seem’st

(3.1.79).” Thinking that Romeo was such an amazing person, Juliet is shocked when hearing that

he was the one who killed Tybalt. She doesn’t think Romeo “seem(s)” like someone who would

do such a terrible offence. Because of this, Juliet feels in betrayal of who she thought was her

true love.

Through Juliet’s use of imagery, she illustrates her emotions toward Romeo before and

after the death of her “dearest cousin (3.1.66)” Tybalt. After having such a strong relationship

with Romeo, Juliet’s feelings towards him were immediately changed after hearing of this

tragedy. After feeling so much love towards Romeo in one moment, and feeling so much regret
in the next, it is only a betrayal of what Romeo’s actions have done for Juliet. Because of this, it

seems that the love story between these two lovers could come to an end.